Turning tool for garbage pulverizer unit



x 1957 B. STOECKER TURNING TOOL FOR GARBAGE PULVERIZER UNIT Filed MIL, 12. 1955- "INVENIOR. BAR/YE) STOECKE/P A r TOR/VEY 2,803,981 TURNING TooL FOR GARBAGE PULVERIZER UNIT Barney Stoecker, Denver, (1010., assignor to D. A. Bell, Denver, Colo.

Application August 12, 1955, Serial No. 528,106

I 3 Claims. (Cl. 81-90) This invention relates to a tool for unlocking stuck or jammed parts'that are normally operative for relativerotation and particularly to a tool constructed for use in unlocking the jammed or wedged rotatably mounted h amme r carrying member of a garbage pulverizer unit:

For the past few years and currently, nearly all modern homes and apartment dwellings include a garbage pulverizer unit. Although there are many different makes of such units, they all essentially comprise a fixed body within which is rotatably mounted a motor driven part carrying hammers in the form of pivoted dogs which pulverize the garbage material during relative rotation of the part and body. Due to oddities of material received by the unit, quite frequently the rotating part of the unit becomes jammed or wedged and fixed with respect to the unit body. When this occurs, the average person is often, by necessity due to the seriousness of the jam, required to utilize the services of a plumber or repairman to unlock the stuck part and this can be quite an expensive job requiring considerable disassembling of the unit.

it is an important object of this invention to provide a tool which may be readily employed by a home owner, apartment dweller or repairman to unlock the jammed part of the type described and particularly the hammer carrying part of a garbage pulverizer unit.

A further object ofthis invention is to provide a tool particularly useful for unlocking jammed or stuck parts of a garbage pulverizer unit which is composed of a minimum number of parts and which is inexpensive to manufacture whereby one may be furnished upon'th'e installation of each garbage pulverizer unit or sold for a nominal cost to owners of previously installed units.

Another object of the invention is. to provide a tool for the purpose described comprising ah elongated body description wherein like numerals represent similar parts throughout and wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing the tool of this invention applied to a garbage pulverizer unit;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the tool;

Figure 4 is an elevational view of a detail of the tool;

Figure Sis a view taken along the lines 5-5 of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is an elevational view of a modified portion of 1 the tool.

Although the invention could Well have use for un- I locking jammed bodies generally, it is designed partia having at one end. a handle and at its other end a pivotally m'ou portions engageable withexposed lugsor abutments normally carried by the rotating part of the garbage unit.

A further object is to provide a tool as described wherein the portions that depend also function to maintain the rest of the member above and capable of straddling what is known as the high center part of the rotating part.

Yet another object is to provide a tool of the type described in the preceding paragraphs including means for adjustably mounting said portions on the pivoted member whereby the tool may be used in connection with various brands of garbage pulverizer units.

Finally it is an object to provide a tool of the type defined in the penultimate paragraph wherein the pivoting action of the member may be controlled after the tool is inserted in the unit whereby the egress and ingress of the tool in the unit is simplified.

()ther objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon considering the following detailed dado-like 'm'ember'includihg depending cula'rly for employment in connection with garbage pulverizing units; With this in mind, the essential parts of sucha unit are illustrated in'Figures l and 2. As shown, the garbage pulverizing unit, generally represented by numeral 1, includes a fixedly mounted .body, receptacle or housingZ depending from sink 3 and having an open top communicating with the sink drain opening 4. Within the substantially cylindrical shaped portion 5 of body 2 is mounted for rotation, by suitable motor drive means not shown) connected to drive shaft 6, a circular shaped plate 7. On the upper surface of plate 7, there usually extends a boss-like part 8 forming part of the keyed connection between plate 7 and shaft 6 and this boss 8 will hereinafter be referred to in the description and claims as the high center point of plate 7. Also extending upwardly from plate 7 and spaced from boss 8 are diametrically opposed lugs 9, plate 7 further including a plurality of perforations 10 for fluid flow and having,

adjacent its periphery and extending upwardly therefrom, spaced pivoted dogs (not shown) which function as hammers and coact with the internal wall of body 2 to pulverize garbage material. Body 2 also is provided with a combined fluid and material outlet 11. It is believed the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the brief showing of Figures 1 and 2 will be sufiicient to represent typical garbage pulverizer units in connection with which this invention may be used. It probably should -be.'mentioned, however, that lugs or projections 9 are included in past and presently manufactured units for providing a manual means whereby plate 7 maybe manually moved relative to body 2 when plate 7 is jammed .or locked against motor rotation with respect to body 2. Such, a manual means ,is diflicult to operate and generally lugs 9 are spaced apart a distance exceeding the diameter of opening 4.

;. rOneYiembodiment of the tool of this invention is depicted by Figures 3, 4 and 5 and the operation of this tool, generally represented by numeral 15, is illustrated in Figure 1, the full line showing representing the tool entering unit 1 and the dotted line position representing the tool in position to perform its function of unlocking jammed plate 7. The tool consists of an elongated body portion 16, of any suitable configuration such as the circular shape shown, having at its top .end a reduced tip 17 of polygonal shape, as the square shown, for detachably receiving a handle 18 in interlocking relationship whereby the handle, when mounted on the tip 1.7, will form manual means for driving the portion 16 and yet, for packaging purposes, the handle may be readily detached. At its other or bottom end portion 16 is provided with a bore 19 for receiving a pin 20 to thereby pivotally connect blade-like member 21 to portion 16. As shown, member 21 is a U-shaped channel iron, although this configuration is by no means essential, having upstanding from centrally thereof spaced legs 22 Patented Aug. 27, 1957 provided with aligned apertures 23,, ofiset from theulong r,

25 of the U-shaped member 21 isfprovided adjacent the:

longitudinal, ends. thereof withv slots 26 through which depend pin elements or the like 27,, the pins beingadjustable lengthwise of the U-shaped member 21 and inthe slots by means of manipulating bolts 28 relativeto flanges 29. It should be mentioned that tool may be constructed of any suitable durable material such as brass or steel.

. Assuming part 7. is jammed; due to an unusual piece of material having been deposited in unit 1 and the tool 15 is to be used to bring about anunlocking thereof, portion 16, which should preferably be of a length; greater than the. distance between plate 7 and sink 3, is moved downwardly within body 2 from above the sink. This downward movement is illustrated in, Figure 1 and the member 21 during such movement. automatically assumes ;the.:substantial position of that shown in the solid lines of Figure 1 due to the pin being in the offset slots: '23 and the, unbalance caused by gravity on the U-shaped member 21, this latter operationbeing irna p'o-rtant to permit; member, 21 to readily pass through aperture 54..." Whenmember ,21. strikes plat 7, a downward forceon body 16 will result in member 21 assuming the dotted line position of Figure 1. The body 16 should be of sufficient length so that a portion thereof still extends-above sink 3 and now handle 18 is positionedin place on tip 17. It probably should be mentioned that other forms .of handle may be provided such as'an integral right angled extension from the tip 17.

If it were desirous of taking advantage of lugs 9 to unlock the parts, the pins 27 would probably have been adjusted in slots .26 so that they would be as closely spaced to one another which distance should about equal the distance between lugs 9. Therefore, the tool could be positioned such that a pin 27 was on opposite sides of lugs 9,- asshown in Figure 1, and then the handle could be manually rotated in either direction to gradually vunlock-the jammed parts,.this rocking or rotative motion applying a great deal of force to plate 7. l

- In the event, the lugs 9 are not available on unit 1, then pins 27 maybe adjusted by manipulating nuts 28 to spaee the pins a distance apart whereby they. may be received in .apair of diametrically opposed perforations 1,0 whereupon the tool may be used in a manner similar to that explained -for unlocking the rjammed parts. After the plate 7 is free to be motor driven again, the tool; 15. may be removed by grasping and raising body 16 and during the upward movement the member 21 will automatically pivot to permit its ready removal through aperture 4 g 1.,

On Figure 6 there is illustrated amodified blade-like member 21 comprising a single sheet of metal of about thickness and arranged to be pivotally secured to stem 16 in substantially the same manner as member 21. The stem 16 has a reduced area, as shown, to which member 21' is pivoted in an offset manner and so that member 21 will be normally unbalanced by gravity action. The substantially rectangular piece 21 is cut away at to provide depending elements or cars 31 for ena nsluss 2. and. theg ra o ,O M 9 ncludi th s.

member is believed obvious in view of the foregoing explanation. The cars 31, asfwell as pins 27, function to maintain the main body portion of their respective members 21 and 21' above and capable of straddling the high center point constituted byboss 8 whereby the latter does not interfere with'the tool operation.

It isbelieved that it will .be clear frorn the preceding description that the tool 15,.including either member 21 or 21', is simple and effective to manipulate to accomplish unlocking'of jammedpa-rts, of aga'rbage pulverizer unit. Being aware of possible modifications and uses,

. I desire it to be understood that the scope of the invention is not to be limited except in accordance with the terms of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A tool for unlocking a jammed normally rotatable plate eta. garbage pulverizer unit including afixed housinghaying a hollowinterior anda top openingof .a. siae to. receive: material. adapted to. be pulverized; said. plat beingppositioned within said housing a substantial distance'fror'rilthef top opening and'moun't'ed for rotation relativeto the'h'ousing, said plate further being normally Provided with a high center. point, said tool comprising an elongated body having a bottomendand a top 'endand of a. size permitting, When'maintained upright, insertion thereoffthroughthe.topopening of the housing and re; sulting in positioning of the bottom end adjacent the plate'and the top end adjacent the top opening, a blade lik eimember pivotally connected to said body at the bottom end thereof, said member being of a horizontal width'norm'ally greater than the top opening when maintainedhorizontal buttless than the opening when piv: o'teda predetermined amount whereby when the latter actionftake's place itjmay readily be inserted through the top; opening, and -said member including portions depending therefrom in spaced relation for, engaging the plate and maintaining the rest of the member above and capable of straddling the said high center point ,of the plate, said pivot. connection, being offset from the center oflgravity} of said member and from the center ofthe horizontal widthhoffsaid member so that the latter. is normally unbalanced with respectto the body and maintained pivoted an amount permitting ready insertion through'the top opening) I 2. A toolas. defined in .claim'l wherein the portions consist .of1pirisa'nd mean's'for, adjustably mounting said pins on the member to permit variation of the spacing therebe tweeri." p

. 3. A tool as defined in claim 1 wher'einthe member is 's'ubst'antially rectangular in shape andthe portions are formed a" cut-jaway area at the. normalbottom of the member andbelow the pivotfcorinection.

Rais {cred ts the file, Gr ss aar UNITED STATES PATENTS 450,154 Hogan Apr. 14, 1891 761,523 Miller May 31, 1904 957,641 Ashworth May 10, 1910 1,263,202 Brown Apr. 16, 19.18 2,038,116 K liment Apr. 21, 19.36 

